Kiveton Hall

Image: © Mike Nield Taken: 21 Jun 2013

The present Kiveton Hall occupies part of the site of the former Keeton Hall, seat of the Osborne family, Dukes of Leeds. The original (Keeton) Hall, a much grander property, was built around 1698 by Thomas Osborne, the First Duke of Leeds to replace the Elizabethan Thorpe Hall at nearby Thorpe Salvin, but was subsequently demolished by the 6th Duke in 1811 who then relocated to Hornby Castle in North Yorkshire. It is known that in 1806 the estate was visited by the then Prince of Wales, who was later to become King George IV. Local legend has it that a wager between the Duke and the future King led to the demolition of the Hall, but this story has little foundation. The former Duke’s estate, covering an area of 600 acres, was used for hunting by the Duke and his guests and is the very reason why the village of Kiveton was later renamed Kiveton Park (indeed, the old definition of 'Park; is "an enclosed area of land stocked with game and held by royal prescription"). The Duke’s hunting hounds were housed in kennels near where Kiveton Park Station stands today and that part of the village became known locally as “Dog Kennels”, although nowadays is generally referred to as Kiveton Park Station, distinguishing it from the main bulk of the village approximately one mile to the west.

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